FAQ

Short answers to the questions people ask most. For the full data story, see Privacy.

How do I install Atlas?

Download the notarized .dmg from the download page, open it, and drag Atlas into your Applications folder. The first time you open it, macOS may ask you to confirm — click Open and you’re set.

Does it run on Intel Macs?

Not yet. Atlas currently ships as an Apple-silicon build (M1 or later), so it needs an Apple-silicon Mac. An Intel build is planned, but isn’t available today.

Where does my data live?

On your Mac. Your tasks, subjects and focus sessions live in a local SQLite database, and your notes are plain markdown (.md) files in a folder you control. There’s no account and no telemetry — nothing is uploaded unless you ask for it.

Do I need an API key?

No. Atlas works fully offline, and Ingest does its file conversion, OCR and transcription on-device. If you want a cloud model (Anthropic) or a local model via LM Studio to tidy up an ingested document, you can add that yourself — it’s optional and off by default.

How do updates work?

For now, you update by re-downloading the latest .dmg from the download page and replacing the app. Built-in auto-update is on the roadmap and will land in a future release; until then, the changelog is the place to see what’s new.

How do I report a bug?

Use the Send feedback form inside Atlas (in Settings). It sends your message along with the app version and platform — and any log you choose to attach — so we can follow up. Feedback is only ever sent when you start it.